Folding seat



Jan. 7, 1930. A. A. CHANEY FOLDING SEAT I Filed May $31927 2 Sheets-Sh t 1 m Y TWIN"! Jan. 7, 1930. D cHANEY 1,742,806

FOLDING SEAT Filed May 26, 192 z SheetS- -Sheet 2 ,7 I awntoz Patented Jan. 7, 1930 ALBEBT AffifikNEY, "OF IEWETI' OHIO FOLDING SEAT Application filed"- May 26,1927. "Serial No. 194,375.

: This invention is a folding seat' intended primarily for use upongrand stands, circus.

seats and like structures although it'i-s also adapted foruse upon a chair frame. The oh ject of the invention is to provide an lIl6X-- pensive and durable seat which will be comfortable'and which when not in use may be so disposed as toprotect the surfaces from the inventionis to provide a seat for the stated purpose which will be so constructed and-mounted that it may rock freely under the movementsio'f the user so thatthe fatigue.

due .to protracted sitting in one-position will be relieved.= Other objectsof the invention will appearincidentally in the course of the -following descriptiomand the'invention resides-in certain novel features which will be particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective View showing one 'embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged rear elevation of a corner showing the connection between the seat proper and the back;

. Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the position of the parts when the user rocks Fig. i is a side elevation showing the device in collapsed condition, and

Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing the invention applied to a chair frame.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 1 indicates a bench of a stadium or grand stand or the main supporting frame of circus seats. This bench is ordinarily provided with a top 2 of planks, and in carrying out my invention in its most generally adopted form, a supplemental plank or board 3 is secured over the permanent plank 2 by screws, as indicated. The screws may obviously be removed at will so that, when the invention is applied to structures which have seasonal use the seat board 3 may be removed from the bench and the seats mounted upon said board stored bodily until the next season opens. Ar

. ranged along the seat board 3 at or near the rear edge thereof and at intervals along the same are secured brackets t'having upstanding inverted U-shaped end :portions 5 which provide bearings for the pivotslor 'trunnions of the backs of improved-seats. "lt'w'ill be not'ed'upon reference to Figs. {landQ-that' the back is provided with a latefallyexthding trunnion or pivot engaged'in the'outer end portion "of the bearing member 5" and that the said bearing portion 5' constitutes a cover for the end of the pivot 01- trunnion sothat persons passing backofthe bench-and the vseats'thereon are not apt to be injured by contact with the trunnions nor'to haveany portion of their clothing "damagedfrom the same source. The chair or seat' of my iii-'65 vention'comprises a seatmember, indicated at 6, and a ba k, indicated at 7 Eachof these members comprises a sheetmetal plate 8 of proper dimension'shavingitsedge-portions rolled'upon itself toform a'bead 9'on its unde'rior rear side and engaged around a bracing "'and 'carrying' "frame tconsisting of a light rod "or st'out wirel0 formed into substantially u-shape' with its bightportion disposedat th'e'outer-or upper edge -'ofthe' 7 sheet metal plateand its "side portions-dis posed'at the sides of said plate. The frame otthebackfha's its side" members extended beyond the "lower edge of-the'backand-inset, as 'shown at 11*,theinset portions 11 terminat'-" ing'in outwardly "projecting trunnions or pivots 12"which engage through openings providedtherefor-in th'e'bea-ring portions 5 of the securing brackets. The frame oi -the seat memberdi'as its: side portions also 1 eX tended-beyond the rear edgeof the 'plate' 8 and-themetcliformed into a c oil I1 :13 immediately adjacent the rear edge ofthesaid platet and encircling the adjacent'pivot or trunnion 12, as showniii the drawings. -The -convolu-" 90. tions of- -the-coil lg are so' disposed that the coil extends =if-nwardly-*relative' toilthe side .of theframe' and it may- "be given: one or more turns as'may' be desired, fbut in any event willterminatedn an upwardlyand 'reanward 1y: proj ecti'ng' finger: '14- ii which i K'n'ormally bridges "the =inset 'portionx 11* of the back frame and has its extremity disposed immediatelydn -rear otrthe upper end otisaid inset portion wvherebylrthe aback Extreme wi11--:rest 109 against the fingers 14 and will be thereby prevented from dropping backwardly. The fingers 14 are disposed at an angle to the side members of the seat frame somewhat greater than a right angle so that, when the device is in use, the back will be supported at an inclination which will support the back of the user without discomfort. It will be readily noted that the engagement of the pivots or trunnions 12 with the bearing members 4 constitute the sole means of attaching the device to the bench 3 and, therefore, the seat and back members may have a rocking movement as a unit about the trunnions or pivots, as shown in Fig. 8, but cannotbe detached therefrom without the exercise of considerable efiort in order to release the trunnions from the bearing brackets. The user of the device may, therefore, lean backwardly to a reasonable extent and overcome fatigue, the backward pressure exerted upon the back 7 being transmitted through the insets 11 and the terminal fingers 14 to the seat, but the natural position of the feet and legs of the user will prevent the rocking movement extending so far as to upset the occupant.

IVhen the use of the device is temporarily discontinued, the back may be swung down onto the seat member, as shown in Fig. 4,

,, so that the aisles in front'and in rear of the bench 2 willbe cleared and the former occupants of the seats may readily pass out. Vhen the season for the use of the device is closed, the board 3 is removed and the row of seats secured thereon may then be stored as an entirety until the ensuing seasonopens. While my device is obviously desirable for use in stadiums and grand stands erected for exhbitions and competitions in athletics and other similar amusements, it may be applied to chair frames and in Fig. 5 I have illustrated such an application of the invention. WVhen the device is to be thus employed, the trunnions 12 are inserted through the upper rear ends of leg members 15 in the same manner that they are inserted into the bearing members 5 in the previously described arrangement. The chair frame may be of any desired construction and, for the sake of illustration, I have shown a chair frame comprising legs 15 pivoted together between their ends and locked against spreading by a foldable brace 16. The legs may be folded together when the device is not in use so that the entire chair may be arranged within a small compass. The upper ends of the front legs may be equipped with any desired or approved means for engaging the forward edge of the seat member or supporting the same so that the seat member will be firmlyheld in proper position for use. No change in the arrangement or construction of any of the parts of the device is required to fit it to the chair frame, the only change being the substitution of a chair frame for the brackets 4.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A seat comprising a relatively fixed support, a back member including a frame having side members constructed with insets at their lower ends and terminating in outwardlyprojecting pivots engaged with the fixed support, anda seat member including a frame disposed entirely in a single plane and having side members extending beyond the rear edge of the seat member and constructed with elements loosely encircling the said pivots and terminating upwardly in fingers extending in angular relation to the said encircling elements of the 'sidemembers back of the insets of the back member whereby to limit the rocking movement of the back independently of the seat and effect rocking of the seat and back as a unit.

2. A seat comprising a seat board adapted to be secured upon a fixed support, brackets secured at intervals upon said board near the rear edge thereof, said brackets having upstanding terminals constituting bearing members, a seat back including a frame having insets at its lower end terminating in outwardly projecting pivots engaged in said terminals of the brackets, and a seat including a frame disposed entirely in a single plane adapted to rest upon the seat board and provided with coils loosely encircling said pivot members and treminal fingers extending from the coils at an angle to the seat in rear'of the insets whereby the back member may fold over onto the seat member or swing rearwardly and engage said terminal fingers and impart rocking movement to the seat member.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ALBERT A. CHANEY. [n s.] 

